UPSC Prelims 2018 Q32: Indian Polity – Union & State Executive
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
Presidential Election - Vote Values
Formula (Article 55):
- MLA vote value = Total population of State (1971 Census) / (Total elected members of State Assembly x 1000)
- MP vote value = Total value of all MLA votes / Total elected MPs (both Houses)
| Statement | Claim | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Value of each MLA's vote varies from State to State | TRUE | Because it depends on the state's 1971 population and its Assembly size. E.g., UP MLA = 208, Sikkim MLA = 7. Every state has a different vote value. |
| 2 | Lok Sabha MP vote value > Rajya Sabha MP vote value | FALSE | The value of an MP's vote is the same for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members (currently 700 post-J&K reorganisation). They are calculated together as one pool: total MLA vote value divided by total MPs. |
Answer: (a) 1 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Only Statement 1 is right - MLA vote value varies across states based on 1971 population and Assembly size.
- (b) Incorrect. LS and RS MPs have the SAME vote value in Presidential election - the formula pools them together.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 2 misstates the equal LS/RS MP vote-value rule.
- (d) Incorrect. Statement 1 is genuinely correct.
Key point
Vote-value formulas (Art. 55): MLA = Population 1971 / (Members x 1000). MP = Total MLA values / Total elected MPs (LS+RS combined). LS MP value = RS MP value (currently 700).
Remember
In the Presidential election, the value of each MLA's vote varies from state to state because it depends on the state's 1971 population and Assembly size (from Uttar Pradesh at 208 to Sikkim at 7). The value of a Lok Sabha MP's vote is the same as that of a Rajya Sabha MP - both are calculated from the total MLA vote value divided by the total number of MPs.
Common mistakes
- Assuming LS MPs (directly elected) get more weight than RS MPs - the Constitution treats them equal for Presidential election.
- Using current census population - Article 55 explicitly locks the calculation to the 1971 Census (fixed by 84th Amendment 2001 until first census after 2026).
- Forgetting that Delhi and Puducherry MLAs also vote (added by 70th Amendment) but their vote-value calculation uses only their respective populations.
Exam tip
Presidential election numbers: UP MLA = 208 (highest), Sikkim MLA = 7 (lowest). Every MP = same value across LS and RS. Total electoral college value comes from adding all MLA and MP values.
Sources
- Constitution of India - Articles 54 and 55
- Election Commission of India - Handbook for Returning Officers in Presidential Election